I Watched A Change
by William Wolfe
Summary: Remus has a furry, little problem, but he can't tell anybody, especially Sirius. But when a mishap in Potions lands him in the hospitable wing, how much longer can he hide his secret? RLSB slash, 3part. CHAPTER 3 IN PROGRESS! Dedicated to Jake.
1. Change

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters seen in this story, nor do I own any of the places, sports, or Houses. Furthermore, I do not own the copyright to the song "Change (In the House of Flies)." Please, stop plagiarism.

WARNING: This is a slash fic, meaning male/male relationships. If that offends you in any way, please do not read this. I accept criticism, either good or bad. In fact, _please_ criticize me; I want to become a better writer, but any flames based on ignorance or intolerance are unwanted and uncalled for.

Now, without any further ado...

**I WATCHED A CHANGE**

CHAPTER 1: CHANGE (IN THE HOUSE OF FLIES)

_How am I ever going to hide this, _thirteen year-old Remus Lupin thought to himself as he surveyed his tired reflection in the mirror of the dormitory, and groaned.

His pale, near-white face was completely devoid of any color as his skin clung to his narrow cheeks, while his reedy, brown hair stuck to his forehead, matted with dried sweat. A few loose strands hanging down over his dark, amber-colored eyes, Remus couldn't help but look at the bags that had formed under them, besmirching his ivory skin with blotches of dull grey. His thin lips, chapped and cracking, were set in a dreary, fearful frown as he looked over the rest of his scarred, white torso and the way his emaciated frame allowed him to count every one of his ribs as they quivered behind his paper-like skin. But what truly drew Remus's eyes were the four long gashes that ripped the flesh around the left side of his rib cage wide open, staining the white with the dull crimson of dry blood. Four more scars would soon be added to his collection as they punctuated his body, leaving a myriad of varying black, brown, and red marks all over.

"Ah," he grimaced as he lightly touched the topmost clawmark with his right hand, immediately feeling a sharp pain as he retracted his hand, the tips of his fingers covered in new blood, "How am I going to explain this one away? Last night was the worst transformation I've ever gone through. And the most painful."

_I watched you change_

_Into a fly_

The memories had been seared into his mind forever. He remembered telling his friends that his mother had fallen ill again and that he would be leaving right away, and the pain that filled his heart as he flat-out lied to his best friends. He couldn't tell them the truth, though, _What would they say if they found out? What would they do? What would... _His heart skipped a beat as he thought, _What would Sirius say?_ He felt a horrible rumble in his stomach as he thought of that boy; the boy with that ebony hair and piercing, blue eyes, the boy who seemed so cool and collected in the face of danger, the boy whom he truly cared about.

Remus recalled the day he had first met the illustrious Sirius Black back on the Hogwarts Express in their first year, along with James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. They had probably been the most mismatched bunch of first-years that ever met. James was impulsive and foolhardy, Sirius was insidious yet brave, Remus was smart and quiet, and Peter was jittery and neurotic, but, somehow, they had all managed to become such good friends in such a short amount of time. Granted, they had all been sorted into Gryffindor and shared a dormitory, but there was more to it than that. They had enjoyed each other's company, and had even managed to wreak a good amount of havoc on the school during the past two years. Now, they were in their third year at Hogwarts, and everything they had accomplished, the bonds they had created, were in jeopardy of falling apart.

_Yesterday afternoon, as the sun began to set over the forest horizon, young Lupin had quickly left Gryffindor Tower and met Madam Pomfrey in the Entrance Hall, noticing that her grey hair was absolutely dishevelled and she appeared to not have slept in days. Ignoring this fact for the time being, he took great strides across the grounds as he moved towards a colossal tree on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He knew it all too well; it's hanging branches that rustled in the gentle, twilight breeze as they flexed like muscles, ready to lash out at anything. The Whomping Willow. Though a humbling sight, Madam Pomfrey grabbed her wand and sent a jet of bright, blue light towards a knot at the willow's trunk. Immediately, the great limbs seized, becoming rigid for a moment before going limp and drooping to the earth below._

_"Run," she had said as soon as it was safe to approach the arbor sentinel, and he did. He ran down the small gap in the giant roots, finding a long tunnel as he moved as swift as his legs would take him. Before long, though, he had reached that heavy, wooden door and rammed it with his shoulder. Finding himself inside his sanctuary, the Shrieking Shack, Remus bolted the door and stripped himself of his clothing. As he stood naked, his body being buffeted by the chilling air that swept through the house, night had fallen outside and, slowly, the dreaded moonlight filtered through the rotten ceiling, through the cracks in the wood, and bathed the boy's skin in a lurid, white light._

_The transformation was, as always, nearly unbearable. As the light perforated his being, young Remus could feel his pupils dilate, allowing in such a blinding amount of luminescence that tears immediately began to well up in his eyes in an attempt to blot out the light. Within moments, his hands had gone rigid and began shaking. Then, his forearms. Then, his chest. His hips. His legs. His head. Then, the true pain began. The young man's arms and legs began to lengthen, causing the bones within to snap and reform. Unable to support his weight on his broken limbs, Lupin fell to his knees, wracked with agony. His head soon began to lengthen into a snout, his skull splitting and changing shape as his teeth grew into sharp, ivory daggers. The jolts of pain had travelled down his spine, which also began to tear itself apart as the change took place. He barely noticed as plumes of coarse, grey hair sprouted from his face, his back, and his hands, which had now begun to curl into massive clawed paws. His shoulders hunching with the weight of the added muscle on his formerly lithe frame, poor Remus could do nothing to help himself as he curled up in pain, his paws clutching his stomach as if willing it all to end. He didn't want this. He wanted it to stop. He wanted to die._

_Then, the pain stopped._

_Remus rose to his feet, and opened his eyes, which retained a thin, amber line around the deep black of his pupil. He remembered thinking as he looked up through the cracked wood of the ceiling and into the pure moonlight that shone down,_ So beautiful. _The great, dark blue sky was dotted with tiny specks of silver that danced around the lunar body, as if heaven itself was in a marvelous celebration. He looked around the room and noticed every little detail there was; the little spiders that shuffled across the cracked and splintered wooden floor, their miniscule footsteps sending up little clouds of dust as they moved. The colors, they were just so magnificently overwhelming._

_Then, the bloodlust set in._

_I looked away_

_You were on fire_

_In the blink of an eye, there were no more colors, just the myriad shades of black, white, and grey that only canines could see. In an absence of thought, there was no more Remus Lupin, but the savage, primal thoughts of an untamed beast. There was no room for debate as the creature peered around: he needed blood. In a flash, the bowlegged animal ran towards the wooden, entrance door, clawing and biting at the unrelenting barrier. Within moments, he smelled it; the stench of a wizard. That in mind, it slowly circled the room, its paws stomping on the floor, sending up great clouds of dust that swirled around the premises. _Must have blood, _he thought to himself as he sank his jaws into his right forearm, _must have meat... flesh... _Biting through the pain, the creature ravished the metallic taste of blood running down his throat, sadistically savoring the flavor as he bit down harder. When satiated with one arm, he detached his jaw and, using his bitten arm, quickly slashed under his left rib cage, and gasped as he licked up the blood that had spilled on the floor. The beast wouldn't be satisfied, however, and gazed up at the moon, now a sharp, white disk against the endless black of the sky where tiny specks of white would shimmer, as if laughing at him._

_The werewolf howled._

Remus shuddered as the echo of that resounding howl rang through his skull. He opened his eyes once again and was met with his reflection in the mirror, staring back at him with dark, deadened eyes.

_Pull yourself together, Remus, _he inwardly scorned himself as he glided over to his trunk, _Madam Pomfrey got you back here today, and I should go to class. If I don't, I'll just mope around here and think about last night._ Opening the trunk, he grabbed his clothing for the day: his trousers, socks, shoes, boxers, white shirt, grey pullover, tie, and black robes. He smiled to himself as he prepared to get dressed, _Well, if nothing else goes right with my life, at least my trunk is organized._

"Bloody hell, Remus! I didn't need to see that!"

The scrawny boy turned around, his heart jumping at the reddened face of Sirius Black, a hand on his face to cover his eyes and the other clutching his red covers over his waist.

His face steadily becoming more red, Sirius shouted, "Do you mind getting some clothes on!?"

Remus took that one moment to look down at himself, and felt completely embarassed when he realized that he was still stark naked. A hint of pink slowly returning to his exposed flesh, he took the red boxers he had grabbed from his trunk and slipped them on, inwardly sighing at the warmth that immediately clung to his nether-regions. Grabbing his white shirt and buttoning it up, he spoke in a hoarse, raspy voice, "Alright, Sirius, I'm not naked anymore. You can open your eyes." In his mind, though, he mused, _Sirius Black just saw me naked. Awesome._

_I watched a change in you_

_It's like you never had wings_

He didn't remember the first time he noticed Sirius as anything more than a friend, but he knew the feeling was there. It could have been the several times during their first year when Sirius would pretend to help Remus to his class, though it was clear that he had no idea where he was going, or it could have been that time during their second year when Peeves had made him drop all his books, and then Sirius came to the rescue, cursed the poltergeist, and helped pick up the books. While the exact moment remained a mystery, it was definitely clear in the way that Remus would look at his friend, the way he would blush and begin to speak a mile a minute, or the way he would become so clumsy that he would walk into walls or doors (he still had a sizeable bump on his forehead from walking into a tree on the grounds). He had a crush.

"Anyway, how's your mum, Remus," Sirius asked as he got out of bed and stretched, his tan stomach peeking out from under his pale blue t-shirt.

"What are you talking about," Remus asked, slightly curious, before remembering his lie and adding in a low, almost inaudible mumble, "Oh yeah. She's... she's fine."

Nodding his head in a nonchalant motion, Black walked around to Lupin before quickly noticing, "Wait a minute, what's that?"

Remus answered, "What?"

"_That_," Sirius emphasized, pointing at the side of the scrawny boy's white shirt. Looking over, Remus took a sharp intake of breath at what he saw. The blood from the clawmarks in his side was seeping through and staining the shirt, changing the perfect, crisp white to a wet shade of deep crimson. Sirius, his eyes wide, asked, "Blimey, Remus. Are you _bleeding_!?"

_Now you feel so alive_

_I've watched you change_

Hurriedly slipping on his trousers and grabbing the rest of his clothing, Remus bolted towards the door, muttering quickly, "Nope. Not at all. Getting changed in common room. See you at breakfast. Bye." Slamming the door behind him, the tawny-haired lad left his crush there without another word, breathing a sigh of relief as a pang of guilt pounded his heart, _I can't hide it forever. Pretty soon, they're going to put two and two together and find out about this whole thing. I can't keep lying to them because, frankly, I suck at lying. What am I going to do? If word of this gets out... we're finished._

----------

"Remus, are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"

"I told you already. When I was coming back from my mother's I cut my side on the gate. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Until you stop lying to me."

"I'm not lying to you, Sirius. I'm telling you what happened."

"Well, I don't believe you. Where have you gotten all these other scars from? They can't all be grazes with the school gates."

"I don't have to listen to this."

"Remus..."

"Mind your own bloody business and leave me the hell alone! I'll see you in Potions."

Slamming a thick tome shut and rattling the glasses of pumpkin juice on the table, Remus shoved the book into his bag and rose from his chair, stalking down the long, central aisle and staggered in midstep before slowing his pace for a moment. Then, he quickened again and headed out the huge Great Hall doors. Sirius, his mouth agape at having been spoken to that way by the normally dry-witted Remus Lupin, was roused from his stupor by a low, impressed whistle from behind. Turning on his chair and facing his two other friends, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew, he ducked his head down closer to the table to avoid looking conspicuous.

_I took you home_

_Set you on glass_

"James, Peter," Sirius began as he whispered, "have you noticed anything strange going on with Remus?"

James, his brown eyes flashing behind his glasses and a tuft of unruly, jet-black hair, answered with a grin, "He hangs out with us. Of course he's strange."

"That's not what I mean and you damn well know it," Black hissed, annoyance and anger creeping into his voice, "I mean, haven't you noticed that his mother always seems to fall sick every month without fail?"

James muttered under his breath, "Probably has major PMS," before chuckling to himself, not even noticing as a redheaded girl slowly swivelled around, her piercing green eyes locking with Potter's.

She spoke with a deep clarity, but injected every word with venom, "What did you say, Potter?" She threw him a glare that, if the world were just, would have killed him on the spot.

"Nothing, Evans," James retorted, a glimmer of fear seeping into his eyes as he tried to remain resolute in the face of death _her_self.

Lily Evans turned back around, casting James one, last, icy glare before muttering, "I _thought_ so." James let out a breath he had forgotten that he had been holding.

Peter, his dirty blond hair falling around his grinning, mousy face, chuckled, "Nice one, James. Really smooth."

"If you two would shut up for just a moment," Sirius interrupted, his voice becoming impatient, "I'm trying to find out what's wrong with Remus. He's steadily been looking worse and worse. I mean, he's so pale now. And," he lowered his voice to a barely recognizable whisper, "this morning, I saw a lot of blood seeping out of his side."

_I pulled off your wings_

_Then I laughed_

"Are you sure it was blood," Peter asked, suddenly very rapt in Sirius's story.

"Oh no, Peter. It was just some ketchup he had spilled the day before and he hadn't bothered to clean it up," he replied sarcastically, before adding heatedly, "_Of course I'm sure!"_

James, who had been thinking quietly on the subject, spoke up, "Well, we're going to see him in Slughorn's class, right? We can ask him about it then."

"Don't be too sure," Sirius responded grimly, "I've been asking him about it and look where it's got me. He bloody told me off. Remus Lupin, the most level-headed boy I've known, lost it."

James, tilting his head to the side, asked curiously, "I can understand that Remus's behavior has been strange, Sirius, but I don't get one thing."

"What's that," he asked in reply, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you so intent on finding out what Remus is hiding? I mean, does he mean that much to you," James asked, a purely inquisitive look on his face.

Biting his lip, Sirius opened his mouth to answer, but quickly closed it again as he thought, _He means the world to me, but I can't tell them that. _He only managed to choke out, "Yes, he does."

_I watched a change in you_

_It's like you never had wings_

To be completely honest, Sirius Black never really knew the exact moment when he had developed a crush on the witty bookworm, Remus Lupin. It could have been the several times during first year when Remus helped him with his Transfiguration or Defense homework, all while wearing that cute smile on his tired face, or it could have been the adorable way he blushed whenever they brushed hands in the hallway. Whatever it was, it was definitely clear in his mind: he had a major thing for the tawny-haired boy. But still, there was just one, little thing that clouded Sirius's mind with doubt; Why was he lying?

_What could possibly be so bad that Remus would lie to me, _he thought as he twisted the golden fork in his scrambled eggs on his plate, _I'm just worried about him. What if, one day, he doesn't come back? What then?_ As these questions stewed in his mind, he didn't even notice as Peter spoke to him, and jumped when he felt a finger prod him in his side. Whipping his head around, he came face to face with his chubby-faced roommate as he asked, "What did you say?"

_Now you feel so alive_

_I've watched you change_

_It's like you never had wings_

"I asked if you were going to finish that," Peter queried, his mouth full as he stared down at the food on Sirius's plate.

Pushing the plate over to his friend, he replied distractedly, "Oh, no. Go ahead and take it."

Not even noticing as Peter snatched his plate away and began to feast once again, Sirius stared off into space, thinking to himself, _Can it really be that bad?_

----------

_Why did I say that to him, _Remus asked himself as he stood at his Potions table, looking through the dimly-lit space at Sirius, who was busy gathering the ingredients for today's potion, the Shrinking Solution, _I know exactly why. It's because I don't want him to run off and blab to everyone else. But Sirius wouldn't do that. It's more along the lines that I don't want him thinking that I'm just a mangy, bloodthirsty werewolf. _The clawmarks in his side twinged with a piercing pain at that last thought, and he could feel the blood slowly trickling against his skin, creating a nauseating feeling of tickled giddiness and confused fatigue, _But I am, arent' I?_

"Oy, Remus!"

He slowly jerked, roused from his stupor, and was met with James's large, brown eyes looking straight into his. The werewolf replied, rubbing his tired eyes, "Oh! Sorry, James. What was that?"

"I asked you to hand me the daisy roots so I can cut them up," James repeated, holding up the gleaming knife in his hand and looking strangely maniacal.

"Oh, yeah sure," Remus answered, grabbing a bundle of the brown roots Sirius had brought over, and laying them out in front of his friend before getting out of the way. If there was one thing he had remembered in the past two or so years, it was to never be around James when he had a sharp object. This proved to be a good idea, because, as soon as Remus moved away, the bespectacled Potter began a cutting frenzy, slamming the knife against the table and completely mutilating the roots, which were supposed to be cut into neat strips.

_I look at the cross_

_Then I look away_

Looking at the moistened remains of the roots, Sirius barked sarcastically and clapped slowly, "Nicely done, James. Bravo."

His face red and stained with greenish brown drips, James responded, "Oops," before bursting out laughing. Sirius, Peter, and Remus followed suit, receiving several looks from their classmates and Professor Slughorn himself, his large, grey moustache rustling as he sighed.

"Oh my goodness," Peter said, grinning widely as he pointed at James's knife, "you knocked the blade off, you idiot!" It was true; the only thing that remained of the knife was its wooden handle, the blade having flown off during the wild frenzy.

"Bloody hell," James muttered under his breath, before looking over to Remus and asking, "Hey, Remus, can you hand me that other knife at the end of the table?" He pointed the handle towards another gleaming knife lying on the wooden tabletop, the blade glimmering in the flickering torchlight of the dungeon.

Grasping the handle so that the blade was facing towards him, he handed the knife to James, who obligingly took it and said, "Thanks a lot."

_I give you the gun_

_Blow me away_

Tugging the handle away quickly, the blade bit into Remus's palm, thoroughly slicing it wide open. He grunted, cradling his hand as blood freely began to flow onto his skin, staining his ivory flesh with a sharp scarlet. Then, to his curiosity, the two severed flaps of skin began to turn a light grey, as if the flesh were rapidly dying. _That's strange, _he said to himself, _the only time that ever happens is when..._

He froze, his terrified gaze now moving towards the bloodstained knife James was holding. The _silver_ knife.

----------

_Why do I hang out with these morons, _Sirius thought affectionately as he looked around at the other three. There was Peter, that stupid grin still on his face as he watched James with hero-worship, his eyes so wide that they were in danger of popping out of his skull. Then, there was James, the wet splotches from the roots staining his face as he smirked happily, his usual demeanor when he wasn't planning a prank on Snape or the other Slytherins, holding a bloodstained knife... _Wait a minute, bloodstained, _he thought to himself as he stepped forward, grabbing James's knife arm and inspecting for any lacerations.

_I watched a change in you_

_It's like you never had wings_

_Now you feel so alive_

_I've watched you change_

"What the hell are you doing," Potter asked indignantly, his wrist in Sirius's quivering hand.

He merely answered, "The blood. Where did the blood come from!?"

"What blood," James laughed wholeheartedly before looking at the razor-edged knife, a trickle of red blood coating the blade, which quickly turned to a dull grey and solidified, "What the hell...? Remus...?" He turned around and gasped at what he saw.

_You feel alive_

Sirius followed his gaze, his face draining with horror at the sight he faced.

_You feel alive_

Peter, finally catching on that something was amiss, stood up on his tiptoes. Looking down at Remus, he gave a shout that resounded off of the dungeon walls, causing everyone to jump and turn.

_You feel alive_

It was a terrible sight. Remus had hunched over, shaking and clutching his withered, greying hand, erratic breaths escaping his form as he kept his face down, his sweaty, brown hair masking his expression. Those thin legs were rattling underneath his weight, as if struggling to remain upright on the stone floor as he shook more violently and then wretched, covering the dungeon ground with bloody, red vomit. Stepping back a few more paces, the three of them gasped even more as Remus looked up. The blue and red veins and arteries had swollen, allowing one to see the blood pumping through his head as they stood out against his now white skin, glistening with beads of sweat and all color having left it completely. His eyes, watering with such harrowing pain, opened once and then closed once more as he doubled over further, though never lowering his head as drips of bile cascaded from his face onto the floor, joining the already significant puddle. He then opened up his eyes again and locked a gaze with Sirius.

"H... help me... he... help m... me," he gasped pathetically, as if each word caused even more agony. Then, without warning, he fell to his knees, his eyes becoming dim as he whispered once more, though in perfect clarity, "Please, help me... ...Sirius." With that, he fell onto his face with a disgusting squelch as his robes slapped the puddle of vomit, and was still.

_I've watched you change_

_It's like you never had wings_

The only sound that could be heard in the still dungeon was Professor Slughorn's worried voice as he pushed through his students, ordering in an uncharacteristically harsh tone, "Out of the way! Let me through! I need to get through! Move, now!"

Then, Sirius let out a breath he realized he had been holding as he thought, _Is this what Remus was trying to hide from me? What the hell is happening to him? He looked in such pain as he looked up at me and said... Bloody hell, he asked me to help him! _Breaking from his trance, he sprang forward and grabbed at Remus's side, flipping him onto his back and drawing him close, ignoring the tears that now stung his face as he continuously muttered, "Remus, please don't die! Stay with me, Remus!" He attempted to listen for any sound of life from his fallen friend, any sound of an inhale or an exhale, and clutched him even closer in an attempt to hear a heartbeat, but couldn't discern between his own and Remus's. After an eternity of stillness, he jumped as he felt a comforting hand on his back, turning around to see Professor Slughorn's worried face.

_You changed_

"Mr. Black, if you will please help me carry Mr. Lupin to the hospital wing," the professor requested, his face steadily becoming red with anxiety, "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey can do something for him."

Slowly, he spoke in a quivering voice, "Is he dead?"

_You changed_

Professor Slughorn slowly got to his knees, grabbing one of the ailing Lupin's arms and throwing it over his own shoulder, grimacing as some of the bloody bile dribbled onto his robes. He rose and grunted, "No, but we have to hurry to the hospital wing. If you will..." He then turned and ordered, "Potter, Pettigrew, make sure everyone gets their work areas cleaned up. Class is over."

Then, the two of them, Slughorn and Sirius, set off through the heavy, wooden door of the dungeon, Remus held between them looking dead and bloody. The only thing young Black could think as the chatter of the Potions classroom grew farther and farther was, _Remus, please don't die. Don't die on me, Remus. Please, don't be dead..._

_You changed_

-----END OF CHAPTER 1-----


	2. End of the World

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters seen in this story, nor do I own any of the places, sports, or Houses. Furthermore, I do not own the copyright to the song "End of the World." Please, stop plagiarism.

CHAPTER 2: END OF THE WORLD

"How foolish are you, Horace!? You, above all people, knowing the poisons kept in a Potions classroom! How could you be so careless with a student!? From _my_ House!?"

_Horace? I believe that's Professor Slughorn's name... Where am I?_

"I warned him that the knives were going to be made out of silver! I warned him! But he was so eager to learn, Minerva, I... I just couldn't say no!"

_Minerva... That's definitely Professor McGonagall... Why does my hand feel all tingly? Wait a minute, why does all of me feel tingly?_

"It's actually rather simple, Horace! No. See, I just said it! No. There, again! It's not a hard word to say!"

_Goodness, my stomach aches! What did I eat!?_

"That's enough, Minerva. Horace made a mistake. We all make them at one point or another in our lives."

_That's Professor Dumbledore... I wonder what's going on?_

"Yes, Albus, but not all mistakes end in the near-death of a student!"

_Poor student... I wonder what happened? Oooh, Slughorn's in trouble!_

"I said that's enough, Minerva. I don't wish to repeat myself again."

_Wait a minute... It's coming back to me... "Oy, Remus!" ..."Nicely done, James. Bravo." ..."Hand me that knife at the end of the table?" ...bloody palm... greying skin... gleaming... knife... silver knife... Sirius!_

_Last night I had me a dream, son_

_The end of the world could be seen_

Remus Lupin's amber eyes, filled with a desperate gleam, flew open to reveal the Hogwarts hospital wing. The large room, with a number of beds on either wall and desks stocked with grimly-labelled potion bottles and strange-looking medical instruments, was flooded with bright daylight so blinding that tears welled up in his eyes in an attempt to blot out the overwhelming rays. His pale, ashen skin, bathed in the light, shone with an eerie brilliance as he felt the chilling air roam across his naked body, covered only by a light blue, woolen blanket. The wounds on his side, now bandaged, continued to bleed so that the formerly pure, white cotton was stained a grisly crimson, the same as his bottom lip which retained the stale, metallic taste of dried blood. He instantly sat up, finding Professors Slughorn, McGonagall, and Dumbledore speaking at the foot of his bed, their faces turning quickly to see his terrified visage, their eyes wide.

Without hesitation, he took in a sharp breath and shrieked, "SIRIUS!"

His scream reverberated off the stone walls of the wing, echoing so that the anguish of the voice could be heard for several moments after the original voice had ceased. Professor Slughorn, having been taken aback by the sheer force of the cry, winced and shook his head, his greying, straw-colored hair and moustache ruffled and askew. Professor McGonagall had merely flinched, her stern eyes softening behind her wispy, black-grey hair at the helplessness of one of her favorite students. In fact, it was only Professor Dumbledore, his white hair and beard even more luminescent than the sunlight, who hadn't reacted at all, but kept his twinkling yet penetrating gaze on young Remus.

_No sign of life could I feel, son_

The headmaster spoke once the echo had finally died out, his voice calm and pleasant, "Good afternoon, Mr. Lupin."

"What happened," the young Gryffindor rushed in a tremorous, grief-wracked voice which constantly cracked with anxiety and fear, "All I remember is cutting my hand on a silver knife, and Sirius's face, and now I'm here. What happened? Did it break loose? Did I hurt someone? Did I _kill_ someone? Do the others know about me? Am I going to be expelled? Am I going to be arrested? Did I hurt James or Peter? Or Sirius?" His voice cracked even worse on that last name, thoughts of regret and uncontrolled bloodshed running through his horror-struck mind as he inwardly screamed, _Please, dear Merlin, No!_ Tears began to streak and burn at his face as he grimly whimpered, "What did I do?"

A glimmer of sympathy appeared in Dumbledore's sparkling orbs, gleaming like perfect blue topaz behind his half-moon spectacles, as he glided over to Remus's side, his billowing, purple and gold robes flowing across the marble floor, and sat down on the soft mattress, placing a reassuring hand on the boy's clammy shoulder before saying, "No harm has been done. You suffered a terrible seizure when the silver cut your flesh. If I'm not mistaken, last night was the full moon?"

_Nothing was what it had been_

Calming down a bit, Remus wiped his eyes and cast his gaze towards the bed, muttering, "Yes, sir."

"So that's what caused all of this," Dumbledore stated with a cool certainty, "You were much more susceptible to the ailment of silver since you were still recovering from your... extensive injuries." He shot his all-knowing gaze down to the scarlet bandage on the boy's side, "As I understand it, the day after the transformation is the most vulnerable time for an adolescent werewolf. Is that correct?"

_Consumed with the constant bloodlust and a rampant desire to breed... Yeah, I guess I'm just a bit knackered after a night of all that, _Remus thought, his mind bitter and sarcastic, as he merely repeated, "Yes, sir." His heart jumped as he further asked, "Sir, what happened to Sirius? He's the last thing I remember before blacking out." His face immediately blushed afterward, and the first rush of color ran to his face, making him appear much healthier than he actually felt.

_Black as the night, life out of sight_

The older man patted his student on the shoulder, a small grin hidden beneath his snowy beard, as he answered, "Mr. Black, as far as I know, was sent off to class after you arrived three hours ago, but I have my own sources telling me that he has kept vigil for you in Gryffindor Tower. Undoubtedly, Messrs. Potter and Pettigrew are with him."

Remus, realizing suddenly that a smile of relief had widened on his face, sighed, "May I go and see them?"

"My apologies," Dumbledore said, "but I'm afraid that you will have to remain here until tomorrow. Madam Pomfrey is attempting to eradicate all traces of silver in your system and, regrettably, it will take some time to do." Watching, however, as the boy's face fell and his smile quickly hollowed, the professor exhaled and continued, "But, perhaps, they can come and see you. Professor McGonagall?"

Her eyes caught in the reflection of light against her square-framed spectacles, she stepped forward and answered, "Yes, Headmaster?"

Turning and setting his glimmering gaze on her, he replied, "Will you please go to Gryffindor Tower and inform Mr. Lupin's friends that he is awake and wishes to see them?"

With a nod and a swish of her emerald green cloak, Professor McGonagall set off for the Tower, leaving the hospital wing with a dull _clunk_ as the wooden door closed behind her. She was soon followed by Professor Slughorn, who turned to Remus and said in an oily, regretful tone, "My sincerest apologies for what happened today, Mr. Lupin. I take the blame for this matter," before inclining his head to Professor Dumbledore and departing.

"I, too, must be going as well," the headmaster stated before rising from the bed and patting the young student on the back once more, "Business with the Ministry and all that idle nonsense... I hope to see you up and about, Mr. Lupin. All in good time though, of course." He flashed one more beard-hidden smile at Remus before he, too, swept out of the hospital wing, leaving the werewolf alone in the room.

He sat in the bed, which smelled crisp and clean with its spotless, white sheets, and thought in his lonesome, _This is bad. If Sirius, James, and Peter saw me convulse when I cut myself, they'll probably figure out that the knife was silver. Without a doubt, James will start to suspect something; though a bit thick, he's clever at times. Too clever, as a matter of fact. They're going to find out soon enough... But what will they say? _His heart fell once again as his mind raced further, _What will Sirius say? _The image of a betrayed and angry Sirius Black crossed his mind, that black hair framing a face that was contorted in rage, and those glistening, blue eyes hardened like ice as he spat hateful words from his mouth, _"You're a filthy werewolf, Remus? Get away from me and never come close to me again! I'll be infected with your disgusting disease! Leave me alone! I hate you!"_ His breathing became heavy as he clapped his hands over his ears in an attempt to block both the sounds of the imagined voice of Sirius and the hated self-loathing he harbored in his heart, all the while thinking, _I don't know what I'd do if he left. Never seeing his face again. That silky, black hair. His cool, blue eyes. His words, so crisp and confident. What would I do? _Thoughts of Sirius continued to flood his mind as he rocked back and forth, unable to stop those images no matter how hard he tried.

_You can't imagine the scene_

----------

"Come on, Sirius, don't worry. Madam Pomfrey'll fix up Remus good as new," James said as he clapped his hand on Sirius's hunched back as they sat on the squashy couch in front of the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room, "You remember when I hit my head first year, right?"

"How could I forget," Sirius replied unenthusiastically. One night during first year, a pajama-clad James had taken to running about the dormitory the four boys shared. In his manic frenzy, however, he stepped on his loose sock and tumbled forward, slamming his head against the hardwood bedframe and splitting the skin around his forehead and right eye wide open. That one, gross image would always remain in Sirius's memory, how James, wracked with pain, turned to face him with a torn and bleeding pocket of flesh exposing his full eyeball. Even with such a grotesque injury, Madam Pomfrey had mended his head within seconds without so much as a scar. But even that warm, fuzzy memory couldn't bring him solace, "But I just can't forget the way he looked. It was like he was on the verge of dying. His skin was so pale and he was shaking and..." His voice slowly began to quake as the grisly images flashed through his mind.

"Yeah," Peter added as he stared into the fire, his eyes wide with amazement at the sight he had beheld, "and his hands were all grey, and he puked up blood, and his face was all-- Ouch!" He yelped as James's foot connected with the back of his head.

_Last night I had me a dream, son_

_The end of the world could be seen_

A look of warning on his face, young Potter hissed, "Shut up, Peter! Don't you see how it's bothering him!?"

The mousy-faced Gryffindor spoke in defense, "Oh, come off it, James! I'm only saying what I saw!"

"We all saw it," James replied, his eyes burning with annoyance, before putting his head in his hand and mumbling, "Lousy sod... No tact whatsoever..."

Sirius wasn't paying attention the petty squabble of his two friends; his mind continued to race as the escapade in Potions ran through his head for the umpteenth time, his hands shaking as the scene bloomed in his mind. _"Help me, Sirius," he had said. He asked me to help him and all I could do for a good minute was stand there. I just looked at him as he looked back, with black eyes and grey skin and... before he collapsed in a puddle of his own filth. I just stood there. Why had he called me? Why not James or Peter? I ran forward anyway and picked him up with Professor Slughorn, the smell of blood and half-digested food making me gag almost as much as the way Remus flopped around when I moved him. He was dead weight. What if he had died? What if I did something to make him sick like that? Did I hurt him? Did I hurt my Remus? _Unable to hold them back as his mind raced, tears began to stream down his face once again and fell, with a patter, against the fabric of the couch. The salty droplets obscuring his vision and making the firelight dance with the water in his eyes, Sirius put his head in his hands, nearly mimicking James before he fell apart again, his body heaving as he wept, _What if I didn't help him? What if I had killed him?_

_I didn't know where to turn, son_

_The absence of life was obscene_

He didn't even hear as James slapped Peter's head once again, whispering, "Now, look what you've done, Peter," before scooting over towards his best friend and laying a comforting arm around his shoulder, saying, "It's all right, Sirius. Don't do this to yourself. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm sure Remus is just fine. You'll see."

"It's not that," Sirius whimpered, his voice cracking as he struggled to take in breath and cry at the same time, "It's just that... What if I hadn't helped him? What if I had been too scared to move? What if I had let him die?" A new torrent of sadness and self-resentment flooded over him as he spoke, his mind turning, _Should I tell them? Should I tell them how much I care for him? That I think about him every waking moment? Maybe then they'd understand..._

"Sirius," James asked in a softer voice, as if willing to keep Peter out for the next, few seconds, "Can you answer a question for me?"

Young Black nodded, his skewed hair falling in his eyes.

"You told me at breakfast that you care about Remus. Now, I'm just wondering..."

_The end of time or just in my mind_

_I know that it's hard to believe_

James's took in a sharp breath to speak, but before a word could pass his lips, his question was interrupted by the shrill squeaking of the portrait hole's hinges as they opened and closed, allowing light to flood into the corridor and then becoming dim once more. There, at the entrace to the common room, her stern face flickering and her square spectacles reflecting the firelight, stood Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House. Her emerald green cloak, appearing much darker in the golden glow from the fire, sweeped against the floor and contrasted with her wrinkled, ivory skin. Her piercing eyes looked around to each of the three boys, her gaze lingering on each of them before proceeding to the next.

She spoke with her usual, direct demeanor, "I pray the three of you are well?" She ignored Sirius's scoffing as she continued, "I have been sent to inform you that Mr. Lupin is fine and will be attending classes tomorrow."

Young Black's head perked up as he heard this news, his mind speeding, _Remus is okay? Remus is okay! Yes! Yes! Yes! Haha!_ A smile spread across his jovial face as a spark of happiness shone in his eyes, coinciding with his sighs of relief. He felt a sharp jolt as James slapped his shoulder, that well-meant pain mingling with his utter ecstasy.

"However," Professor McGonagall continued, a small smile forming at the edge of her mouth at seeing the three boys so happy, "though Mr. Lupin is conscious, Madam Pomfrey wishes to keep him in the hospital wing tonight for observation. He wishes to see you now, but I must warn you: he is very weak and very nervous. You will not have long to speak with him because he must rest. Is that clear?"

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

"Yes, Professor," the three boys replied, hopping to their feet as they proceeded to follow her out the portrait hole to the hospital wing.

As Sirius walked past the Fat Lady's portrait, his anxious pace constant with Professor McGonagall's, he sighed inside as he thought, _If he's still weak, then... _He cringed and shuddered as the silver-skinned, dead-faced Remus ran past his mind once again, his black eyes flashing as his bottom lip trembled. He then blurted to the professor, "How does he look, Professor?"

"Well," she began, stumbling over her step but righting herself in an instant, "Mr. Lupin is still rather pale, and he is very jittery. He also has several cuts on his body."

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

James's head perked up as he asked, "From what, Professor? I mean, it's not like he could get cut up just by falling on the floor, and do you know why he got like that after he cut his hand? Why did that happen?"

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath before answering, never taking her eyes away from her path, "He cut himself on the gate returning from his sick mother, and he must have had an allergic reaction to whatever was on the knife."

After being shot a look from Sirius that said, _That's the same thing that Remus told me, _James continued, "But, Professor, couldn't Madam Pomfrey have healed his wounds already if he got them on the gate? I mean, she managed to heal up my eye in first year in a snap and I was right bloody, and there was nothing on the knife, either, so unless you're saying that he's allergic to silver..." His voice stopped dead for a moment in which Professor McGonagall turned around, her eyes hard as stone. James then muttered, "Forget I said anything, Professor." He then proceeded to look down at the ground, apparently deep in thought.

_Just give me a minute_

_And I'll put you in it_

Once they had resumed walking, Sirius looked down at the floor, thinking about what James had just said, _McGonagall just told us the same lie that Remus told me, and it's quite true what James said. If Madam Pomfrey can heal James when he nearly split his head open, I'm sure that she could take care of a few scratches on him. But every time I see him, he just seems to get more and more scars and cuts. And it's true, there was nothing on that knife... _His eyes grew wide with realization, but he quickly dismissed it, _Nah, it can't be. I mean, that's preposterous! It explains everything though... All his absences... The cuts... I mean, those sorts of wounds can't be healed by magic... and the silver... Oh, come on now, Sirius! Don't jump to conclusions! There is no way that Remus could possibly be a... _Before he could finish his thought, though, the four of them reached the door leading into the hospital wing, a huge wooden door with the wand of Hermes emblazoned into the hardwood. A small stream of light peaked through a crack in the door, spilling out into the dim, torchlit corridor.

"Follow me," Professor McGonagall commanded firmly as she pushed open the door and entered, followed by her three Gryffindors.

_But you must never return_

Sirius squinted as soon as he stepped over the threshold into the infirmary; all the curtains were drawn open, allowing an overwhelming amount of sunlight to pour into the room and saturated everything with an ethereal glow. Every bed in the wing, set on the right and left of him all the way down the lengthy room, was empty except for the third one on the left, which had the curtains drawn all the way shut. Timidly taking steps on the marble floor, Sirius heard the shrill voice of Madam Pomfrey coming from inside the enclosed curtain.

"We have to change these bandages, Mr. Lupin," the nurse spoke, followed by a ruffling sound as she continued, "It's really too bad that I can't heal these up for you. You're really bleeding." Within moments, she came out from behind the screen, holding several bandages that were stained a dark, near-black crimson. She paused as her eyes came upon the visitors and her usual tough-as-nails demeanor returned in an instant, "Ah, Mr. Black. Mr. Potter. Mr. Pettigrew. Ten minutes only. My patient needs more rest if he's going to return to classes tomorrow." With that, she inclined her head to Professor McGonagall and continued with her work, throwing out the bloodied bandages and retrieving crisp, white, new ones along with plaid pajamas before discretely pulling back the curtain to get behind it again.

_It could occur any day, son_

_Just you remember and pray_

As Madam Pomfrey pulled back the screen a bit, Sirius gasped at the glimpse of Remus. The young boy, naked from the waist up with his lower half under the light blue blanket, still had a sickly, pale tint to his skin, forcing his countless scars into flawless, grotesque clarity. His tawny hair, no longer plastered against his head with sweat as it was in the dungeons, still appeared to be quite limp and dead as it framed young Lupin's face. It was the boy's side that thoroughly shocked him, though; long, bloody gashes ripped through the ivory-colored flesh, exposing raw sinew and muscle and, maybe, just maybe, a little glimpse of bone.

_Why didn't I see those before, _Sirius thought to himself as Madam Pomfrey closed the curtain once again, _I mean, this morning, he was naked right in front of me! I should have seen something that big, right? And those marks, they looked like claws... You don't get gashes like that from encounters with the school gates; those are animal marks! That would have to mean that... Stop it, Sirius. Listen to what you're thinking! There are several kinds of creatures with claws between here and Remus's home. It doesn't have to be that one conclusion! Just get a hold of yourself!_ Finally pulling out of his thoughtful daze, Sirius braced himself as Madam Pomfrey finally reopened the curtain and exposed Remus Lupin to the world once again.

_You have what you love_

_Now love what you have_

There was a tense silence in the room as Peter, James, and Sirius took a long look at their friend, who seemed to gaze at his covered feet with utmost interest. His fingers, long yet child-like, seemed to clutch the blanket with a white-knuckled air of forboding, his limp hair falling over his eyes. With the white pallor of his skin, every nick and scratch on his face seemed to stand out, making the young boy's face a grisly mural of white, red, brown, and black. The pajamas, a plaid pattern of light blue, grey, white, and black, seemed to hang off his frame as if Remus was more of a coatstand than a person. All in all, it seemed that he was beating the battle against his mysterious ailment, though only just.

Finally, he smiled and spoke with a voice as weak and reedy as his hair, "Hi there, guys. Professor McGonagall."

A slight look of worry etched onto her face, Professor McGonagall said, "Well, I have work to be doing for the headmaster, so I will leave Mr. Lupin in your capable hands, gentlemen." Turning to leave, she spared one last word for Remus with the smallest hint of a smile, "And I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Mr. Lupin. You still have that paper on the Animagi due. I hope you haven't forgotten."

"Of course not, Professor," Remus replied, his polite smile growing a bit bigger, "See you then."

_And maybe then you will last a bit longer_

_Black as the night, life out of sight_

_But you can't imagine the scene_

----------

Turning as to not allow the four boys to see the budding grin on her face, Professor McGonagall quickly swept out of the hospital wing, trailing her emerald green robes on the spotless marble floor. As the sound of the slamming door echoed off into the room and finally died off, the four boys sat in an awkward silence for a good minute or so, with Peter, Sirius, and James apparently quite interested in their shoes, as Remus meaningfully gazed out the window into the sky.

_Any moment now, _the sickly boy thought to himself, _It'll begin any moment, now..._

Looking up and breaking the ice, Peter perked up, "How you doing, Remus, ol' buddy, ol' pal?" He slapped Remus shoulder, and his smile quivered with instant regret as his hand connected, causing a grimace of pain on the patient's face.

Rubbing his shoulder and looking to Peter as a reassuring smile grew on his face, he lied, "I'm fine, guys."

"You're not fine," James stated, his eyes full of concern as he stared at each of the scars on his friend's face, "If there's anything we know after seeing you today, Remus, it's that you're not fine."

_He's starting to catch on, _Remus panicked as he held up his hands and shrugged, "Really. Nothing's wrong, I've just been having a rough couple of weeks or so with my whole 'mom' situation. It's nothing, really."

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

James quickly replied, "I know when you're lying to us, Remus. Don't you trust us?"

"Of course I do," the boy replied, his voice cracking slightly as he sighed.

Potter quickly jumped in again, "Then why have you been lying to us? How long has this act gone on? This year, second year, first year? How long have you been stringing us along, Remus?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, James," Remus answered, a tone of strength and finality in his voice, "and I would very much appreciate it if you didn't call me a liar."

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

"We can help you," James said, his voice more concerned now than inquisitive, "We want to help you. But why won't you let us?"

"I," the boy began, as visions of the night before flashed through his mind, _The moon... The colors... gone... The blood... Ah, the blood... They can't help me; they'll only get themselves hurt... or worse._ He chanced a glance over to Sirius, whose eyes were still plastered to the floor, _I won't allow it to happen._ Swallowing the lump in his throat, he finished, "You can't, James. There's no way you possibly can." As he looked over and gazed at James, he could almost see the wheels turning in young Potter's head. _He's cleverer than I suspected... I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows..._

_Just give me a minute_

_And I'll put you in it_

James opened his mouth to speak and closed it again. Several times he tried before finally turning to Peter, "Come on, Pete, let's get back to the common room. Remus doesn't want our help." He turned to Sirius and grabbed his arm, "Come on, Sirius," but he wouldn't budge from his spot. As understanding bloomed on his face, James and Peter quickly departed from the hospital wing, their footsteps echoing and followed by the clunk of the wooden door. Then, a deathly silence fell upon the room once again.

_But you must never return_

Remus couldn't help but look at Sirius's face as he stared down at the marble floor, his black hair masking any attempt to ascertain any emotion at all on young Black's face. _Did he even want to see me, _Remus asked himself as he gazed, _Has he already figured it out? Has James already told him? Does he already hate me? _He choked back tears as he finally spoke in a wavering voice, "Why so silent, Sirius?"

It took a while for Sirius to formulate an answer, but when he finally did, he looked up and showed Remus his tear-stained face, "Why me?"

Taken aback by his question, the patient replied with uncertainty, "What do you mean?"

"Why did you ask me to help you and not James or Peter," young Black asked, his voice cracking and wavering the same way as Remus's, "Just... Why me?"

_Last night I had a dream_

_The strangest that I'd ever seen_

_Do I tell him, _Remus asked himself, _Do I tell him that I'm absolutely crazy about him? Do I tell him that the only pleasant dreams I have are of him? Do I tell him that? No, I can't... _He finally answered, "Because you were there, Sirius. Just because you were there." Immediately, a heavy weight fell upon his heart.

"Really," Sirius asked again, his eyes on the verge of tears, "Is that the reason, Remus?"

In more of a stony way than he wished, Remus replied, "Yes."

For a moment, neither of them spoke, but Remus merely looked into Sirius's ice blue eyes as he felt his amber orbs being penetrated by that heart-freezing stare. It had become a battle of wills; sooner or later, one of them had to break.

Sirius finally spoke, "Why do you lie to me, Remus?"

"What," the sickly boy replied in surprise, "What do you mean?"

_Yes, you were there and you were_

_Telling everybody not to worry_

"Don't play dumb with me, Remus," young Black continued, his voice filling with fury and sorrow, "While we were walking here to meet you, James said something that caught my ear. You're allergic to silver, aren't you?"

Remus quickly drew up his best defenses, _I'm not losing him without a fight. _"And if I am?"

"And you leave once a month to visit your 'sick mother,' " Sirius went on, his eyes roving over his friend as he spoke with conviction, "What is she sick from, Remus?"

"Breast cancer."

"You're lying again."

Stunned, Remus attempted to ask another question with a knot forming up in his throat once again, "How... How would you know?"

_Just let it be_

_And you led me to believe_

Coolly, Sirius explained, sounding like a lawyer attempting to catch a criminal in his web of lies, "Because you told me a month ago that she had leukemia! That's different!"

"I got confused," Remus quickly, his defenses and his mind beginning to crack.

"Where did you get those scars from, Remus," the black-headed boy continued without mercy, "You may have cut yourself on the gate once or twice, but no one is that careless. And many of those wounds are claw marks, including those on your side as well." He quickly gestured to the reddening bandage that peeked out through the gaps of the pajames before continuing, "Where are they from, Remus?"

"I... I..."

_Everything happens in threes_

"Yesterday was a full moon, wasn't it?"

_No! We didn't work this hard for three years just to be undone in a moment of weakness! Fight him!_

"You see..."

"Please, stop lying and just tell me."

_Lie to him! Throw him off your trail! Call Madam Pomfrey! Do something!_

"I..."

"Just answer me one, simple question, Remus."

_But as you spoke_

_Here it comes..._

"Are..."

_Then I awoke_

_Please, dear Merlin, no..._

"you..."

_Only to find that we'd arrived_

_Stop, Sirius... please..._

"a..."

_I can't answer you. I don't have the strength to lose you. Please don't do this..._

_At the end of the world_

"werewolf?"

In an instant and with just one question, everything that Remus Lupin had tried to build for three years came crashing down around him. All the lies, all the secrecy, all of it... It all had to come to the surface now...The charade had to end. So, as his voice trembled and tears arose in his eyes, the young werewolf looked his lost love in the eyes and said...

_Last night I had me a dream, son_

_The end of the world could be seen_

"Yes."

With that one word, all the warmth and color left the face of Sirius Black, until his visage was nothing but the image of cruel cold. His blue eyes froze over and his pale, pink lips pursed together as if he were holding back his emotion with every drop of strength he could muster. His chest stopped rising as his breath caught in his lungs, and his knuckles had become a ghostly white. All in all, to Remus, any indication of friendship with Sirius, any chance of love, any form of compassion had been dashed in one, fell swoop. Young Lupin watched as his love slowly backed away, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears as each lingering, cautious step resounded through the wing, each footstep sounding like a fracture in Remus's heart. He gestured with an open hand to his friend, to bring him back someway or another.

_Black as the night, life out of sight_

_But you can't imagine the scene_

"Sirius, please..."

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

_And I can almost see the end of the world_

But it was no use. With a deafening slam of the door and the sound of footsteps running further and further away, Remus realized that he had lost his one, true love. Dragging his feet back into the bed and curling himself up into a ball, he felt white-hot tears begin to streak down his face, irritating some of his still-bleeding wounds, but they were of no consequence. Every good thing in his life had been taken from him; his youth, his normalcy, his pride... and now he had to lose his best friend and love... He clutched the blanket to his cheek as he sobbed, the unrelenting light of the hospital wing and of his ugly truths blurring in his eyes and every detail of the room being lost within that watery haze until all that was left was white.

_Just give me a minute_

_And I'll put you in it_

_But you must never return_

Ruthless, unforgiving white.

_Yeah, give me a minute_

_And I'll put you in it_

_But you must never return_

-----END OF CHAPTER 2-----

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for waiting so long for this next chapter! I apologize for not having it written sooner, but with college and different shows I was doing, I just never got the chance to write and, when I did, I was way too exhausted. Just, thanks for not abandoning my story and thank you all for the reviews and messages! And believe me, I've already begun working on Chapter 3, so you needn't worry yourselves anymore! Haha! Thanks again, my rabid readers!**


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